The Celtics have had only three official practices since Media Day on Monday, but most of them have been balling at The Auerbach Center since the summer and some roles might already be solidifying. From their media availability and post-practice comments, we’re getting some dribs and drabs of what’s already getting established.
We’ll know a little more when the team returns from South Carolina and certainly after their first preseason game in Cleveland on October 8th, but let’s read between the lines jump to a couple of way-too-early conclusions.
Baylor Scheierman will start at QB
Scheierman hinted that he’s looking forward to more playmaking opportunities this season. The former high school quarterback pointed to his basketball IQ and situational awareness as strengths in his game. And after some glowing early reviews, it’s not farfetched that the 26-year-old gets a promotion to the starting lineup.
“The other day, Baylor, I think he got like four offensive rebounds in one possession, and I just said, ‘I like him.’ That’s all I need to know. I like him. I like him a lot,” Mike Conley said on Wednesday. “And obviously, he did a bunch of other things other than that, but his willingness to crash and keep possessions alive and make the right reads was impressive — stuff like that sticks out to me.”
Boston will most certainly pick up his fourth-year option for next season; the bigger question is whether or not Brad Stevens will lock him up with a rookie extension. If Joe Mazzulla has any influence with the front office, Scheierman could be here to stay.
“Baylor’s a guy that is extremely professional with his work and his development. If a guy earns it more, he earns it more. I also think it’s a natural progression for our team. The more guys that we have being able to do more things, the better it makes them,” Mazzulla said. “Baylor works on his craft. Yes, he’s great at the hustle stuff and the offensive rebounds, but he takes the other stuff just as serious. I think he’s gotten better at it more this summer.”
Here’s former CelticsBlogger Jack Simone on the emerging Scheierman:
Paul George is replacing Jayson Tatum, not Jaylen Brown
When Brown was still a Celtic, it was Tatum that would come out midway through the first and third quarters to be the bridge between the first and second units. Now, he’ll most likely be the early workhorse and obviously the closer in even quarters. However, the highlight here is less about Tatum and more about Paul George.
Pre-training camp stories are always drawn from the well of wishful thinking. And with that qualifier, by all accounts including himself, Paul George is feeling great and looking like his old self so far. The 36-year-old is entering his 17th season, but consider this: he only played 78 games for the 76ers over two seasons, not unlike the 95-game sabbatical Al Horford took in two years split between Philadelphia and Oklahoma City.
Even if it’s just for 62-67 games this season, if George can tap into a vintage version of his former self, he could be the Robin to Tatum’s Batman and the veteran scorer next to Pritchard and the rising tide lifting all boats off the bench.
I built a potential rotation using a roster-building tool created by CelticsBlog’s Nate Moskowitz. You’ll see that George’s minutes lines up a ton with more specialized wings like Sam Hauser and Jordan Walsh. Mazzulla can only do that if PG13 can carry a superstar-lite load.
Pencil in Neemias Queta as a starter, too
Queta coined the term “Big Fella University” for the center room that includes himself, newly signed Mitchell Robinson, his battery mate from last season, Luka Garza, and young bigs Chris Cenac Jr. and Amari Williams.
But if we’re being honest, Queta graduated from BFU a long time ago. Following in the shoes of Luke Kornet, Neemy shuttled between Maine and Boston on a two-way contract, earned a standard deal, and this summer, signed a four-year, $56 million contract to solidify his standing as a franchise cornerstone moving forward.
And if seeing is believing, along with Scheierman, is getting a lot of run with the black shirts that include Derrick White, Paul George, and Jayson Tatum:
Over the summer, Queta worked on his mobility and ability to score and drive away from the rim. He showed off some of that off during his FIBA play this summer and if that translates to the parquet, any debate about whether he or Robinson starts is moot. Queta will be the big man on campus.
And for what it’s worth, four players have bobblehead nights at TD Garden: Jayson Tatum, Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, and…Queta on January 27th.
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